Page 90 - June 2018 Speedhorse

W
b b y y J J o o h h n n M M o o o o r re e h h o o u u s s e e
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IN RACING
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Look around our society, and women continue to break down barriers that, in years past, seemed insurmountable. This is also true in the world of Quarter Horse racing. Although this industry may still be dominated by men, women continue to stake out their claim as a force to be reckoned with. Beside the equine Co-Broodmares of the Year featured in this special Broodmare Issue, we are also focusing on the individual women who have made this sport that we love what it is today.
Speedhorse checked in with two women who have staked their claim as difference-makers in the industry: Becky Halcomb, who oversees a business that provides multimedia services to several different tracks; and Kristen Paredes, a young, up-and-coming owner who already has scored some huge stakes victories.
BECKY HALCOMB
President of Gene Wilson & Associates, Inc.
As the person in charge at Gene Wilson
& Associates, Becky Halcomb’s company provides winner’s circle photography, electronic photo-finish services, and video production
for horse racing events. However, as Halcomb looks around the sport and sees the industry changing, she cannot help but be concerned about the future.
“My biggest challenge is all of the small tracks closing their doors,” she said. “If you have race horses, you can move them to another track. But when a track shuts its doors, it is one less place for my business to work at.”
The history of Gene Wilson & Associates, Inc., is strongly tied to Halcomb’s own family history. Both of her parents worked for Wilson, and Halcomb got started when her parents began taking her with them. She started out, unofficially, as a runner taking results and payoffs to the horsemen’s bookkeeper office. Her first official job with the company was running the film photo finish at Eureka
Downs - back when the film had to be processed before the images could be seen. She worked part-time on photo finishes at tracks in Oklahoma and Colorado, while going to college at Oklahoma State. After receiving her degree in Agricultural Economics, Halcomb joined the company full time.
Becky’s parents, Harvey and Lois Phelps, now own Gene Wilson & Associates, purchasing the company when Wilson began having health problems.
for a tote company or the many areas of racing management. Unless you are involved in the industry already, it is hard to find out about these opportunities.”
Running a business can be stressful, but Halcomb noted that certain aspects of her job remain as fulfilling as ever. “It is always rewarding to take somebody’s picture who just won a race, from somebody who has won hundreds of times to the new owner with their first win,” she said. “I have also had the opportunity to travel to many parts of the country and see some fabulous places and scenery.”
While Halcomb has her own goals - namely, to keep moving her business forward and
to keep it running strong “for the next 60 years” - she also offered her advice to the next generation of women getting ready to enter the industry. “Do your best and work hard. You will earn everybody’s respect, if you do these two things,” Becky said. “Always be willing to try something out of your comfort zone. You never know what job you might enjoy, if you
“My dad taught me most of what I can do now,” Becky said. “I was encouraged by the few women stewards that were working at the time. Most of the time, it is mostly men working
[in] the crow’s nest, so it is always nice to see
a woman’s face. But, it has been a pleasure to work with all the gentlemen I have met. They have all been great to work with.”
No two work weeks are the same for Becky. If they are working a new meet, the duties may involve setting up the photo-finish and video equipment. Race days could see
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88 SPEEDHORSE, June 2018